Boyd Wheatley's Farm Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cambridge, Illinois 61238
Tuesady, August 20, 1996 20:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported the airplane encountered a downdraft during the landing which caused the airplane to descend to terrain impact.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing. A factor associated with the accident was the downdraft reported by the pilot.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/20/1996
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2010
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CAMBRIDGE
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61238
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BOYD WHEATLEY'S FARM ARPT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IL50
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1955 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 305
Weather Observation Facility ID MLI
Elevation of weather observation facility 589
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1410
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 20 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2020
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3607H
NTSB Number CHI96LA311
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.)
Aircraft Model 415-C
Aircraft Series Identifier 415-C
Aircraft Serial Number 4232
Certified Max Gross Weight 1260
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BOYD L. WHEATLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 108 N. PROSPECT
Aircraft Owner City CAMBRIDGE
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 61238
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1940
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code IL50
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 1750
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --